Oakdale Police are investigating the likelihood that a suspect arrested on April 22 in Salida by Tracy Police investigators is linked the Valley First Credit Union robbery from April 18.

On April 22, detectives from the Tracy Police Department arrested Joseph Lee Hayes, 25, of Manteca for the robbery of the BBVA Compass Bank in Tracy on April 14. Detectives located Hayes in the 400 block of Salida Boulevard in Salida that afternoon.

“There was evidence in the car he was driving that we believe links him to the Oakdale robbery,” Oakdale Police Sergeant Joe Johnson said. “That evidence is being processed in the hopes that it positively connects the suspect to our case.”

Hayes is also believed to be the same suspect from the robbery of the BBVA Compass branch in the 3300 block of McHenry Avenue in Escalon. That hold-up occurred just hours before the Oakdale robbery.

The Tracy bank robbery occurred about 4:30 p.m. the Thursday before the others at the BBVA Compass branch in the 1000 block of North Tracy Boulevard. Tracy police did not release any details about the robbery.

In all three robberies, police described the robber as a white male, 25 to 35 years old, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 11 inches tall with a thin build with no facial hair. Most notably, the suspect was reported wearing a wig to conceal his identity in all robberies.

Tracy detectives stated they were still working the case and could not comment further.

Hayes is currently being held in San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp on two charges of robbery with a $500,000 bail.